Andrew Crofts will don the captain's armband as team captain once again next season, but the role of club captain has been handed to Mark Bentley.
That gesture demonstrates the level of respect and confidence Mark Stimson has in the former Southend man, who has been a consistent performer for the Gills ever since his arrival two seasons ago.
But the club captaincy isn't the only new role for Bentley, however, as the club revealed he will also be trialled as a centre half in the opening three games of Gillingham's pre-season campaign.
It's something Stimson seems particularly keen to try - and when you consider the dearth of options at centre back, I guess it makes sense.
But it does throw up a number of questions about the reasons behind the move.
Is it because the club cannot afford to bring in another centre back?
Could it be because Bentley doesn't figure in Stimson's first-choice midfield? If Kevin Maher signs, then surely he'll partner Andrew Crofts in the centre of the Gills midfield, while Nicky Southall and Adam Miller are more than likely to occupy the two wide midfield berths.
Or is Stimson looking for a contingency plan in case the club accepts a bid for Simon King? The former Barnet stopper is arguably the club's most saleable asset after a superb campaign last season - and is likely to attract interest from Championship and League One clubs sooner rather than later, assuming he hasn't already.
We've had a talented young centre half on trial in Moses Swaibu, but after his trial earlier this week we let him go, with the official website saying the club has "enough options in defence". The attempt to convert Bentley into a centre back certainly suggests otherwise.
With Stimson on record as saying that he wants to play 4-4-2 this season, most fans would expect to see Garry Richards partner King at centre back, so it'll be very interesting to see how Bentley fits into Stimson's first-team picture.
THE MAN WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Football's full of stories of great comebacks, and this week saw the news that former Southend United, Brentford and Oxford United centre half Leo Roget is currently on trial with the Gills.
Roget has been a lower-league stalwart, with arguably his best spell coming during his time at Roots Hall, but has been out of the game since his appearance in a 3-1 home defeat to Northampton in League Two on April 22, 2006.
He has reportedly impressed in training, and will continue to train with the club this week in an attempt to earn a permanent deal.